Talk about Protection from Above!

ARRRGGGHHH.  Frustrations. Ok folks, how about some advice here.

My niece, she is 4.5.  In 4K at our local school and since Christmas has just been a royal handful. She's totally boy crazy, which is bizarre because that's not encouraged in her homelife. She's had these two boys as her best friends from day one, but suddenly they are boyfriends, and she blows kisses and follows them around. The school separates them, but it's not really helping. Any ideas?

Additionally to that, last week when her mama dropped her off at school, the teachers were walking towards the entrance door.  My sister told her daughter to run and catch up and she drove off.  The school uses a flag to indicate if you have to stop and sign your child in and the flag wasn't out.

Weeeeellllllll, the teachers didn't turn around to see a little girl behind them, the doors shut and my niece couldn't get the door open.  She was locked out of the school and had no idea what to do.  She sat on the grass outside and cried.  One of her classmate's mother was running behind and thankfully saw her crying in the grass, bringing her into the school with her son.

CAN. YOU. IMAGINE. My sister didn't find out until the parent got word to her 4 days later through a mutal aquaintance my sister works with - and the horror of what all COULD have happened... Oh my gosh, we were all just sick with the "what ifs."  God really took care of this situation, protected my niece and brought her classmate's mother there just at the perfect time. My sister has spoken to the school and there is a new policy where an administrator will make a "last lap" outside after the first bell rings and the teachers who slipped out of duty early (or so it seems) were all called into the admins office for a conversation.

I'm hoping my sister also realizes you can't drive off until you know she's in the school, but that's another issue outside of this particular one.  Heaven help, just thinking what could have happened...

Thank you, Lord.  You are so good to us.

Bday month of happiness

September is my birth month and I love to celebrate all month long. Any and every good thing that happens is due to my birthmonth celebration.

And while it's been years since I've felt like my birthmonth was a true celebration - or even my birthday, for that matter, but September 2016 is starting off well!! 

Through work I've presented at my old college and saw familiar faces I hadn't seen in 20 years. I felt like I did a decent job at it and represented my workplace fairl well. Two thumbs up for that! 

Had the opportunity to visit the sweet nephews mid-week and it melted my heart. Those two are sweeties, even when tired and sleepy. Such a good feeling to snuggle them. 

On my vacation day off this Labor Day weekend, I sewed and finally got the adult bibs up in the Etsy store. 

Saturday (today!) Mom, Dad, and Sweet Niece #2 headed to the mountains for some apple pickin' and to visit the kids museum up that way. Totally success! Beautiful blue-skies kind of day. 

The grocery store is always her favorite. Always.

Having family time is what restores my mind to handle the chaos at work. I've needed some good family time. 

Let's cover some other events: like Macy's first day of 4K. So cute! 

One day that first week I walked her into school and her sweet teacher offered to take a pic of us! 

Went to my state capital for a work meeting and this crazy painting is in one of the conference rooms of the state museum. No matter where you view the painting from in the room, the road follows you. Really neat. 

And that's about all I got. ;)  I hope the good vibes of September continue well past my birthday. I'm excited to be excited. 

Sleeplessness Sucks

I hate not being able to sleep. I woke up at 11:30 with my glasses on and the lamp on. Settled in properly to only wake up again at 2:00 am and not go back to sleep. Ugh. A coworker and I were saying today how getting enough sleep really impacts your health. And you have to retrain your body to want to sleep. Mine hasn't learned yet.

Y'all know I'm crazy for my nieces. Sweet Niece #1 turned FOURTEEN in February. Heaven help. It's hard to believe. Next year she starts high school. HIGH SCHOOL. Unbelievable. Already we see less of her, but she's a busy teen now. 

 This poor girl - she told PawPaw she was seeing "sun horns."  Since she already has eye issues we are concerned about, mom made an appointment with the eye dr immediately. We were so worried it was a detached retina. Not sure why there was a massive delay at the dr but she and mom were there FOUR HOURS.  A three-year-old. In a doctor's office. For four hours! She was exhausted, starving, stressed, just wiped out when they left. She slept all the way home and then on PawPaw's lap for several hours. The doctor thinks it's visual migraines. Her mama and daddy both get horrible migraines but PawPaw only gets the visual part. Hopefully, Macy won't inherit the headaches. 

If you have a little one in your life, you probably are familiar with Reading Across America and Dr. Seuss' birthday. Macy has preschool two days a week. One day she was to dress like her favorite Dr. Seuss character. She insisted on THING 2. Not Thing 1 because Thing 1 is the crazy one. She wanted to be Thing 2. And I thought she was an adorable Thing 2. (The other day this week she was to wear green for Green Eggs and Ham day).  

I'm doing a morning devotional that is emailed to me from GIG (Girlfriends In God). I've done it on and off again but I really do gain a lot from it. And they refer back to the scriptures which I believe is so important. 

In several places I keep seeing two messages: find joy in adversity and be positive in all situations.  It's tough. As one person said it, "Don't waste the hurt - learn what God is trying to teach you through it!"  

I've tried to make a concious choice throughout my day to be quieter, less sarcastic and less judgemental. I keep telling myself: reflect God in your actions, Beth. You are all some people know of Him. Give thanks. Know He will pull you through every trial and hardship in His way and in His time. It's still tough but with that in mind, there is always hope. 

Well it's now 4:30 am. Might as well get up an sew a bit. Accomplish something other than wadding up my blankets in a tangled mess. Y'all have a great weekend. :)